


What do you mean, soft?

by MotherRameses



Series: Thranto! Thranto! Thranto! [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Thrawn Series - Timothy Zahn (2017)
Genre: Blow Jobs, Cuddling, Hand Jobs, Just because you wanna be a supply officer doesn't mean you shouldn't be ready to throw hands, M/M, The second half is smut, Thrawn gets Eli in shape, but the first half is clean, workout buddies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2019-11-06 20:22:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17946491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MotherRameses/pseuds/MotherRameses
Summary: After getting jumped walking back from Orbar's illicit card game, Eli decides Thrawn needs some time in the dojo.Little does he know, he's the one that's going to be put through his paces.





	1. Workout

**Author's Note:**

> I just think it's funny that Thrawn could have fucked those guys up, and Eli's like "oh no he hasn't had any combat training!"

As they entered their dorm and began settling in for the night, Eli mused on Thrawn's comments of justice and revenge. Commandant Deenlark wasn't the only one who was surprised by Thrawn's version of retribution, and despite Thrawn's explanation, Eli still found it hard to believe that Thrawn would seemingly take such an assault lying down. 

 _Uncertainties are often useful in paralyzing an opponent's plans and actions..._ Thrawn's earlier comment, made so off-handedly in Deenlark's office, floated to his mind. He noted the Chiss's word choice - _paralyzing_. The memory of Thrawn driving his elbow into one of the attacker's legs was still fresh, and he smirked at the parallel. He didn't even want to imagine what that bruise would look like in the morning. If they couldn't identify their attackers by the comm records, they would just have to look for the cadet with a limp. Thrawn was definitely strong, no doubt about that, but the scuffle could have ended much sooner if Thrawn had a refresher in hand-to-hand combat. 

"Where is the medkit?" Thrawn's voice drifted into Eli's thoughts, and he could see his roommate searching the storage cabinet in their small 'fresher. Upon realizing said roommate had stripped his tunic off, Eli quickly averted his eyes. The knowledge that Thrawn could see into the infrared was constantly on his mind, because he constantly felt himself blushing around the (absolutely kriffing _stacked_ ) Chiss. 

"I've got it, hang on." Eli hopped down from his top bunk and crossed to the desk, pulling the small kit from a drawer. He opened it and pretended to check that all the wound care supplies were there as he crossed to the 'fresher, but as he handed the kit over, he caught sight of Thrawn's chest and froze.

There were at least a dozen bruises adorning him, some negligible, and some sporting the tell-tale, nasty discoloration declaring they would hang around for weeks. While Thrawn had put up a considerable defense, Eli knew three to one odds meant some blows got through. Thrawn had shrugged off his injuries, declaring them minor, but seeing them now... Eli couldn't imagine how sore the Chiss was. 

He winced as Thrawn turned back to the 'fresher mirror to dab bacta on his cut cheeks, and saw another bruise on his shoulder, almost in the perfect shape of a clenched fist. 

"Y'know, there should be some pain meds in there," Eli said, stepping forward and ducking under Thrawn's elbow to snag the medkit from the counter and rifle through it. 

"They will not be necessary." Thrawn replied, accent coming through more heavily as he dropped his jaw to work the bacta into a particularly nasty cut on his right cheek. 

Eli shot him a sharp glance. "And why not? You look like you've been through a meat grinder."

Thrawn scoffed. "I have been through worse."

"Yeah? Like what?" Eli frowned.

Thrawn paused his ministrations and cocked a brow at him in the mirror. 

Eli wilted a little. "Right, years of prior military experience. Sorry."

"It is alright." Thrawn said, turning back to his wounded face. 

"It's just..." Eli paused, wondering how to best say what he wanted without sounding offensive. "You took a real beating. Taking a combat refresher course couldn't hurt."

To his surprise, Thrawn chuckled. "I do not need to take a refesher course. But I always enjoy combat practice."

Eli frowned again. Was this how the Chiss fought? Take a pounding, and wait for someone to notice the fight and intervene? 

Thrawn finished with the bacta and straightened in the mirror, the casual rolling of his shoulders distracting Eli from his thoughts momentarily. 

"When was your last hand-to-hand combat instruction?" Thrawn turned to him, intending to step out of the 'fresher. 

"Uh. About a year ago. Why?" Eli replied, stepping out of the way and watching Thrawn cross to the dresser. 

"I am curious as to what the Empire teaches in such a course," Thrawn said, opening the dresser and pulling out his sleep wear. Eli realized he was about to remove his trousers to change, and quickly turned to the 'fresher sink and busied himself with replacing the medkit in the cupboard. 

"Well, I could show you what we do, but I am a bit rusty. With supply track, our last year is spent in the classrooms." Eli glanced back out into the room and saw Thrawn had redressed. Feeling a small amount of relief, he headed over to the dresser as well and grabbed his own sleep wear. 

"I would be- apologies." Thrawn started to speak, but gestured for Eli to continue with his usual routine of going into the 'fresher to change and brush his teeth. 

Eli shut the door behind him and changed quickly, wincing slightly as the fabric of his tunic rubbed against his cut palms. He had already tended to his wounds, but they didn't have any bacta-patches the right size for the awkward scrapes and they were left open to such insult. 

Finished with his routine, he returned to the main living area and found Thrawn reclining casually on his bunk, one leg bent and the other dangling off the side as usual. The bunk was truthfully too small for the Chiss, but that was the Navy for you.

"I find no offense to you changing out here," Thrawn said, looking up from his datapad as Eli tossed his uniform down the laundry chute. "It is more efficient to do so."

Eli gave a nervous chuckle as he crossed to the dresser to pull out his uniform for tomorrow. "I guess that's just how I am," he replied, trying (and failing) not to blush as he told the white lie. In truth, the thought of Thrawn seeing him almost naked was a salacious one, even if the circumstances would not be.

Hoping his traitorous complexion was normal, he turned back in time to see Thrawn shrug noncommittally. "It is up to you. But as I was saying," Thrawn turned to gaze at him fully, setting down his datapad. "I would be grateful if you would show me what such training entails."

"Sure. But I ain't sparring with you until some of those bruises fade," Eli said, clambering into his bunk.

He heard Thrawn chuckle. "Of course. And perhaps you would find some calisthenics leading up to such sparring helpful. Sparring when one is soft is not as useful as when one is at their strength."

Eli frowned, offended. "What do you mean, soft?" Did Thrawn misunderstand the Basic term he was looking for?

"My apologies," Thrawn replied quickly. "I simply mean to say that you do not appear to be at your fullest muscle tone. The benefits of partnered sparring are greatest when you practice the moves with the intended power behind them."

"Now how do you know I'm not at my 'fullest muscle tone'?" Eli couldn't keep the sarcasm out of his words. "We ain't never sparred before." While it was true he hadn't spent a lot of time in the dojo, he didn't think he was _that_  out of shape. His uniforms still fit fine, after all.

"Your stature indicates you could stand to gain from a regular workout regime," Thrawn replied politely. 

"My stature?"

"Yes."

Eli didn't reply, still frowning.

"I did not mean to offend you, Eli." Thrawn's voice drifted up to him after a moment, and Eli could hear the apology in his tone. 

"Nah, it's alright. You're right in that I've been slackin' it lately." Eli fluffed his covers and curled up more tightly beneath them. The fact that Thrawn had such a keen eye for his 'stature' had made him wonder what else the Chiss thought of his body. But now was not the time for such thoughts. "Might as well get up a bit earlier and do a quick workout in here before classes start."

"I will rise with you," Thrawn replied. "I find such workouts refreshing."

"You're not gonna hurt yourself, what with all those bruises are you?" Eli leaned over the railing to stare down at him.

Thrawn chuckled again. "Workouts can always be modified as they are done." He offered Eli a smile, likely seeing the concern written in his features. "I will be careful."

Eli smiled back and shook his head, flopping back onto his pillow. "Well, if we're going to get up early, I'm going to hit the hay now."

"Hit the hay?" Thrawn sounded confused. 

"Means go to sleep," Eli replied. He had figured the Chiss wouldn't understand that idiom. "Goodnight, Thrawn."

"Goodnight, Eli."

\---

"It is time to rise, Eli." Thrawn's voice cut into Eli's bizarre speeder-heist dream, and he opened his eyes to find Thrawn's face a few inches from his, peering at him through the bunk bars. He realized the security droid's grip on his upper arm was actually Thrawn's hand, shaking him gently in an attempt to wake him up. 

Eli gave an unintelligible groan as he rolled over, still not fully awake. 

"Up." Thrawn poked him in the back. 

"Fine, fine, I'm going..." Eli grumbled, sitting forward with an effort. He glanced at the wall-chrono through bleary lids. It was two hours before their classes started.

"I thought you said you were going to take it easy!" He watched as Thrawn moved the desk chair to the opposite wall to make more room on their floor. "How long a workout are you planning?"

"I find an hour's time is usually sufficient," Thrawn replied, sitting primly on the floor as he began to stretch. 

"Stars," Eli grumbled again, heaving himself out of his bunk onto the cold floor. He stalked to the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth, wincing as the cold water touched his still-sore palms. That finished, he walked back out, feeling slightly more awake. 

Thrawn was sitting cross-legged waiting for him, looking perfectly awake and ready to start the day despite the early hour. "What sort of exercises do you normally do?" He asked, watching Eli flop on the ground across from him. 

"Just normal body weight stuff, really," Eli replied with a grunt as he stretched his legs forward and grabbed his toes. Despite not keeping up with a steady workout routine, he had always been flexible and found he still possessed his usual limberness. "Push ups, crunches, that sort of thing."

"What are crunches?" Thrawn asked, mirroring Eli and grabbing his toes with marked ease. Eli marveled at that for a moment, not expecting the more bulky Chiss to be so flexible. 

"Uh." Eli found he didn't really know how to describe the exercise, so he demonstrated one quickly. "Abdominal workout." 

"Ah. We use a different name for such an move." Thrawn laid back and began... crunching, without further ago, so Eli copied him. 

"Do your usual routine. I will follow your lead." Thrawn said.

"Got it," Eli huffed out. Thrawn's pace was quicker than his own, but at the Chiss's instruction, he slowed down and began his usual counts. 

Once he finished, he sat forward, twinging a bit at the effort. Thrawn copied him, showing no signs of fatigue. "Next?"

"Push ups," Eli said, flopping onto his stomach. "I start with shoulder width for the first set, then work in sets of diamonds and wide-stance inbetween other exercise." He watched Thrawn assume the ready pose, and purposefully directed his gaze firmly at the ground as he commenced the set. It was too early to think about those arms. 

That set done, he turned and sat again. Thrawn added a few more reps before stopping as well, his pace still quicker than Eli's. 

"Pilot's chairs," Eli said in response to his quirked brow. He leaned back on his rump, crossing and raising his feet in the air. "You gotta touch the floor on either side for one rep," Eli said as he demonstrated the move, clasping one hand in the other and twisting at the waist. "The further behind your back you can touch, the better."

"I understand," Thrawn replied, mirroring him again with ease. Eli was surprised at Thrawn's seeming lack of fatigue, and the lack of mention of last night's injuries. He must be tougher than Eli thought. 

Eli closed his eyes as he did the exercise, having always found the rapid twisting a bit dizzying. He was starting to huff a little bit as he neared the end of the set, abs burning, but he pushed through it and finished strong. 

"I enjoy that one," Thrawn said as he relaxed back on his hands. 

Eli chuckled. "Doing enough of it will break you of that," he joked. "Diamond push ups."

And so they went through the rest of the routine, Eli steadily becoming more winded and Thrawn seemingly unperturbed. Eli nearly called it quits when Thrawn asked if the squats could be modified by carrying extra weight, and merely grunted out a choked affirmative as his muscles burned in protest. 

"Okay, last one," Eli bit out, nearly collapsing out of his wall-sit. "Planks."

Thrawn watched him curiously as he assumed a push up pose, then rested his forearms on the floor. 

"Is that all?" Thrawn asked, positioning himself next to his winded translator. 

"Well, you hold it for a while," Eli grunted. 

"How long?"

Eli glanced at him. "I guess until you can't?"

Thrawn smiled, a faint twinkle of a challenge in his gaze. "Of course."

Eli rolled his eyes. "Keep your butt down," he ordered, glancing at Thrawn's posture. "Goal is to keep your back straight."

Thrawn turned and looked at Eli's posture, and Eli quickly faced forward as he realized where Thrawn was looking. 

"I believe my back is straight," he replied. "My... butt, is simply larger than yours."

Eli dropped his head and screwed his eyes shut, abs screaming in protest as he willed himself not to giggle like a fool. "Sorry," he managed to reply. He heard Thrawn chuckle next to him, and he realized he hadn't even begun his count. But then he remembered the challenge in Thrawn's eyes, and resolved not to count out the seconds as the ticked by, and simply held the pose.

He kept his head down, but soon his arms began to treacherously quake, and he sent a quick glance at Thrawn. To his frustration, the Chiss was watching him with a small smile on his face, his poise made more clear by the shadow of a bruise around his eye from last night's assault. He had no right to be as unbothered as he looked.

"I believe we are outmatched," Thrawn said, meeting his gaze placidly, arms and core perfectly steady. 

"I can hold out a bit more," Eli replied through clenched teeth. 

"Your posture is beginning to suffer." Thrawn said, nodding to Eli's back. With an annoyed grunt, Eli brought his hips back down, straightening his back and definitely _not_  thinking about how Thrawn had been staring at his rear. 

But it was a futile gesture. After another moment, his arms gave out and he collasped with a soft _whump_ onto the floor. 

"You win," Eli grumbled, voice muffled as he let his head rest on the floor. 

"It was not a competition." He heard Thrawn break the pose, bare feet shuffling on the cool tile, and craned his head to meet the Chiss's stare. The twinkle was back in his eye as he sat cross-legged next to his prone companion. "It is a good workout. Easy to modify and build upon as one's strength increases."

"Yeah, well, that's kinda the point." Eli heaved himself upright, glancing at the chrono as he did so. "Kriff! We're gonna miss breakfast if we don't hurry." He scrambled to his feet and grabbed his uniform from the desk chair, then paused.

"You can have the 'fresher. I already washed up; I can just change while you're in there." Eli gestured as Thrawn gracefully rose. 

"I completed my morning routine while you were asleep," Thrawn replied, crossing to the dresser and pulling out his own uniform. "I simply need to change as well."

They eyed each other for a moment, then Thrawn pointedly turned around, stripping off his shirt as he did so. Eli paused a moment, instinctively wanting to make a break for the 'fresher, then internally sighed. He was in the _Navy_  for stars sake. Not a grade school changing room. 

Eli turned on his heel, tugging off his shirt and hurriedly putting on his tunic. This was _fine_ , Thrawn wasn't watching him, and even if he was, it didn't _matter_ -

His resolution turned to horror as his still-fatigued legs betrayed him, catching in the pant legs of his trousers and sending him toppling to the floor with an _oof_  as he lost his balance. 

"Are you alright?" Eli watched as Thrawn turned back around, tunic hanging open as he stepped forward and held a hand out to him. 

"I'm fine," Eli grumbled, wiggling into his trousers like a dying fish on a sand bar as he felt his face burn. "Just lost my balance is all." He heaved himself to his feet, ignoring Thrawn's offered hand as he hurriedly did his fly. 

"Ah." Thrawn's reply was short, but he said nothing else as he took back his hand, fingers deftly engaging the sealing strip on his tunic as he watched Eli adjust his uniform. Eli could just see some of the more angry bruises as Thrawn closed the garment, and he realized he was staring a bit.

A stare that Thrawn caught. 

"Sorry," Eli said quickly in response to Thrawn's quirked brow. "I'm just worried about some of those bruises, you know." He gestured to Thrawn's chest as he sat in the desk chair to pull on his boots. 

Thrawn shrugged as he sat on his bunk to do the same. "They will heal." Eli watched him as he bent and tugged on his footwear, no sign of discomfort visible in the motion. 

"Shall we?" Thrawn nodded for the door, and they rose together. 

"Perhaps tomorrow morning, I can show you my usual routine." Thrawn said casually as they made their way down to the mess.

Eli scoffed. "Yeah, only if you tone it down. I don't feel like dying before I graduate."

Thrawn laughed. "I will modify it, but not as much as you seem to think you need. I was incorrect about your muscle tone. You possess more strength than you show."

Eli blushed furiously at that. "Well, thanks, I guess," he sputtered. 

"And perhaps next week, we may begin sparring," Thrawn offered, glancing down at him approvingly. "I am intrigued to learn about your other seemingly hidden strengths."

"Sounds great." Eli replied, gaze locked firmly ahead and wishing for a swift death as his face burned even more.

He didn't catch Thrawn's small smile at that, nor the mischievous twinkle in his eye as they walked through the quiet morning grounds of the Academy, ready to start their day together. 


	2. Sparring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sparring, frustration, and a discussion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just give a massive shout out to TessAlyn for being my sounding board and helper and just all around awesome?? She's great ya'll, go check her out!!!

_I can't say I didn't expect this_ , Eli thought vaguely as his feet were yet again swiped out from under him and he fell bodily onto the mat.

"Yield," Thrawn said, straddling Eli and pointing the tip of his training staff down at Eli's face.

"I yield, I yield..." Eli's rolled his eyes, both in annoyance and to avert his gaze from the sight of Thrawn hovering so dominantly over him. Eli's own staff had been knocked out of his hands three moves prior, and he raised his hands in surrender as Thrawn stepped away. He and Thrawn had been sparring for the past half hour in the training dojo, and Eli was concerned that the small smile Thrawn usually wore was nowhere to be seen.

"You must not allow your weapon to be taken from you." Thrawn shook his head as he knelt to retrieve the dropped staff, which he had swept away from his opponent with his foot. "You are vulnerable without it."

"I'm trying! You just keep getting the jump on me." Eli said, feeling his hackles rise a bit as he sat up, sweaty shirt annoyingly sticking to his back. This was the fifth time Thrawn had knocked him down (really the eighth, if he counted the short session they'd had during lunch), and he was getting frustrated. Whenever he thought he had figured out the Chiss's moves, Thrawn would do something new and Eli would end up on the floor.

It wasn't helpful that he kept getting distracted by Thrawn himself, either.

Over their weeks at the Academy on Coruscant, Eli had begun to realize he had a serious problem on his hands. Eli had a type, and Thrawn definitely fit it to the letter. Tall, strong, confident. He had finally gotten used to their morning workouts, having had daily practice over the past week at dealing with the enticingly distracting Chiss when his own mind was still bleary with sleep. In fact, Thrawn had actually worked out shirtless this particular morning, and Eli had only blushed a handful of times, and didn't stutter even once.

Of course, it was harder to keep his mind clear in this much more tactile situation when Thrawn kept knocking or grappling him to the floor, and not in the way he wanted.

"Again," Thrawn said, cradling both staves in the crook of one arm as he offered a hand to Eli, striking red eyes gazing down at him intensely. Eli huffed a bit, resisting the urge to glare back at him, and took Thrawn's hand to stand.

"Without the staves," Eli said, shaking his head as Thrawn held his out to him. "You're clearly better with it than me. If we're gonna spar, and not practice forms, might as well even the playing field a bit."

Thrawn frowned. "Do you wish to practice technique?"

"No," Eli growled. He wanted to _win_ , at least once. What would happen if he was challenged by an equally distracting opponent in the field? He shook his head a bit to clear his mind. _Focus_.

Thrawn eyed him for a moment, then turned and leaned the staves against one of the walls. He returned to the mat and faced Eli, eyes meeting as they took up the ready pose.

"You must not allow your emotions to color your actions," Thrawn said as they stalked in a small circle, each waiting for the other to strike first.

"Yeah? And why not?" Eli bit out, hurriedly wiping a bead of sweat threatening to drip into his eye. Really, he knew why - emotions were distracting (that was an understatement), they took your mind away from the fight. Ignore them, concentrate. That's how you won. But stars, he was _annoyed_ \- both at Thrawn's easy grace as they circled, no hint of fatigue in his sculpted body, and at his own inability to ignore said sculpted body.

"Because the power they give you is false," Thrawn replied as he easily dodged a quick jab from Eli, gracefully leaning to the side, sharp eyes never leaving Eli's frown.

"What?" Thrawn's answer was not the one he was expecting. Eli stiffened, realizing his momentary confusion left him open to a blow, but Thrawn did not strike as they continued to circle.

"You are angry because you feel as though you cannot best me," Thrawn said, watching Eli's face closely. Eli feinted forward as Thrawn spoke, but Thrawn didn't react, seeming to know it was a false flag.

Thrawn continued to speak, ignoring Eli's glare at the called bluff. "Such an assumption is not true. I may make a mistake, take a false step-" Eli hopped backward quickly, in anticipation of a blow that still did not come. "Your anger may fuel you, help you land a strike that you feel could turn the tide." A lock of his obsidian hair had fallen to his forehead as they continued to prowl around the mat, but Thrawn paid it no mind, glowing eyes still boring into Eli's.

Eli watched the Chiss as he spoke, looking for the few tics he had learned would signal an attack. A shifting of weight, an angling of his hips, a twitch of muscle. And he saw them. So why was Thrawn not lashing out?

"But if the tide is turned, the reason for your anger may disappear. And you will have lost the fuel needed to win the battle." Finally, Thrawn aimed a blow to his shoulder, and Eli parried it, ignoring the sting in his forearm as he used the momentum to put some distance between them.

"Well, that doesn't change what I need to do then, does it?" Eli said, resuming their small circling and wiping another bead of sweat from his brow. "Forget how I feel, and focus on taking you out?"

"Yes," Thrawn replied, voice dipping low in earnestness. "But the motivation for forgetting your emotions will be different. I am your opponent right now - not yourself. The strength you gain from not allowing _me_ to rule your mind will be greater than not allowing _yourself_ to rule your mind. You will have already won part of the battle."

Eli didn't really understand that, but he didn't have much time to think on it as Thrawn lunged for him, repeating his strike from earlier. Eli again parried and hopped away, and a slight shiver ran up his spine as he faced Thrawn and saw his opponent had changed.

The small smile was back on Thrawn's face, his stance was shifting to something more... aggressive. Predatory. Eli realized something - Thrawn thought he saw a pattern. If he struck such a blow, Eli would parry and put distance between them. That knowledge gave Thrawn confidence, confidence he wore like a cloak draped over his muscular shoulders. Eli became acutely aware of just how _large_ Thrawn was compared to him, the realization sending yet another shiver down his spine. Even if they continued their morning workouts and Eli returned to the sturdy build he had sported when he first entered the Academy on Myomar, Thrawn would still easily outmatch him. Hell, their working out together meant that Thrawn would probably gain bulk as well. For a fleeting moment, Eli remembered the ease with which Thrawn sent him to the floor. While the knowledge that Thrawn could probably toss him around the room like a ragdoll was certainly terrifying in it's own right, it was also a little bit... exciting.

 _No_ , Eli told himself firmly, giving himself a little shake. _Focus. Focus on the fight._

Thrawn would not try the exact same blow - that was too simple for the Chiss. He would strike again, from another angle, and expect Eli to again parry and hop away. So the trick would be to anticipate the strike, and modify his response. Use that distracting bulk against him.

After another few seconds of circling, Thrawn with loping grace and Eli with stuttering anticipation, Eli saw it coming. This time with his other arm, Thrawn swung forward, and this time, instead of parrying, Eli grabbed the Chiss's arm as it came toward him and _pulled_ , yanking Thrawn forward.

Eli had been right - Thrawn had expected him to parry and move backwards, and had already loosened his stance in anticipation of the forward movement. That, combined with Eli's yank, sent Thrawn flying across the mat. For a moment, Eli was exhilarated, finally having gotten a move on Thrawn.

Except his action had pulled the Chiss directly towards him, and sent them both flying to the floor in surprise.

They landed awkwardly in a tangle of arms and legs, but Eli realized he had the slight advantage of having thrown Thrawn off his rhythm. He scrambled quickly, flinging himself bodily on top of Thrawn as the Chiss tried to roll away. Eli managed to grapple one of his arms and snag a handful of Thrawn's shirt as he rolled, the movement effectively pinning Eli's grasp in place.

The incongruous thought that he was actually laying on top of Thrawn's ridiculously firm stomach distracted him from the awful stretch on his elbows and shoulders, he and one of Thrawn's arms pinned behind the Chiss's back on the padded mat. Eli was draped ridiculously over Thrawn's torso as they came to a stop, but he had one of Thrawn's arms incapacitated and he would be damned to let go. Thrawn's other arm was pinned under Eli's waist against the mat, and for a fleeting moment Eli thought he had him.

He glanced over his shoulder at Thrawn's face, grinning widely, but countenance quickly falling as he saw the Chiss sporting a sly grin of his own. Eli felt Thrawn _lift_ his hips, grasping his waist in his hand with the previously pinned arm. There was nothing Eli could do as Thrawn curled the limb as one would when lifting a too-light dumbbell, pulling his arm free when he had hoisted Eli's hips high enough. Eli thought fast, ignoring the more risqué implications of how easily Thrawn had manipulated him, and scrambled sideways along the mat, forcing Thrawn's arm up awkwardly towards the Chiss's face with his legs.

"What is your plan?" Thrawn asked mildly, but Eli didn't let himself get distracted by the comment and brought one leg up and over, trapping Thrawn's bicep between his thighs. If he wasn't already flushed from the fight, Eli would have blushed madly at how close Thrawn's arm was to his crotch, but that was the only way to get that arm out of the equation.

Thrawn responded by levering himself up by his own hips in an attempt to dislodge Eli from his torso, but Eli countered the move by bracing his knees on the mat by Thrawn's head. In any other situation, Thrawn's move would have been vulgar, raising his pelvis up so, knees bent and feet firmly braced against the floor, but Eli forced the thought from his mind as he successfully countered the action, breath now coming hard from exerting himself. He frowned as he realized he could feel Thrawn's own steady breaths against his stomach. The Chiss wasn't even winded.

Thrawn saw that course was fruitless, and instead switched tactics, bringing his knees to his chest in an attempt to crush Eli, to persuade him to release his grasp. Eli gave a small gasp as he felt Thrawn's legs make contact with his back and begin their suffocating pressure (what a way to go, crushed to death by Thrawn's thighs). But the angle wasn't right, and Thrawn could do little more than squeeze the smaller man against his stomach.

"Hah!" Eli said, wheezing a little as Thrawn compressed him, but pleased he was still able to draw breath. "I've got you."

"We are at a draw, Eli." Thrawn replied mildly as he dropped his legs, and Eli frowned. "Should you release me, I would be at the advantage and could incapacitate you."

"Well, yeah," Eli said, breathing easier now that his ribs were free. "But you can't do anything right now."

"That is true, but only for as long as you can keep me down. You are exerting yourself more than I. I merely must wait until you tire, then strike again."

Eli didn't move, still draped over Thrawn's stomach as he thought out his actions. With both of his arms pinned underneath Thrawn, he only had his legs available to try and strike a winning blow. But short of letting Thrawn's arm go and somehow crashing his knee into Thrawn's skull (a thought which left an awful taste in his mouth), there wasn't much else he could do.

He sighed, wilting a little and letting his head drop against Thrawn's leg as he felt the fight go out of him. Thrawn was right. He hadn't won.

He relaxed his thighs grip on Thrawn's arm, ignoring the lingering brush of the Chiss's forearm on his inner thigh as Thrawn took his arm back. They carefully untangled themselves and sat on the mat, both breathing a little hard, to Eli's surprise. When had Thrawn become winded?

"An interesting technique," Thrawn said thoughtfully, crossing his forearms on his bent knees. "Should you have had backup on the way, it would have been effective."

Eli scoffed. None of their grappling on the floor had been part of his plan - he had just wanted to throw Thrawn off with a different parrying move. "Yeah well, I didn't." He made to copy Thrawn's stance, but winced as his elbow touched his knee. Frowning, he craned his head to examine the joint, and found a bright red streak of mat-burn adorning his skin, blood starting to trickle from it. He glanced up towards the door where the medkit was suppose to be, but saw the little cubby was empty. Figured.

"And it was also effective to use my clothing against me," Thrawn continued. Eli turned back to him and saw Thrawn's shirt had been ripped open where he had grabbed it, likely from when Thrawn continued to roll onto his back.

Eli grimaced. "Sorry about that, I didn't mean to rip it."

"It is alright," Thrawn replied, twisting the fabric around to examine the tear. "I have others." He chuckled. "And are crop tops not a Coruscanti fashion?"

"I mean, yeah but-" Eli cut himself off as Thrawn grabbed the fabric and pulled, continuing the rip around the hem of the shirt. Eli grimaced further - he had done as the Emperor ordered and taken Thrawn to various Coruscant hot spots to observe average citizens of the Empire, but now regretted taking him to some of the bars where Thrawn had obviously picked up the fashion statement.

"That's more of a club fashion, than daily wear," Eli said as Thrawn grinned at him, pleased with the effect of the now-short shirt. He held the strip of fabric out to him.

"Uh?" Eli frowned in confusion as he accepted it. "Thanks?"

"For your arm," Thrawn gestured.

"Oh." He used the strip to wipe up some of the blood that had trickled down the back of his forearm, then gingerly wrapped the mat-burn. "That'll hold until we get back to the room."

Thrawn nodded. "We should stop here. This has been a most informative session." Thrawn rose and again offered a hand to Eli. He grabbed it and rose as well, quickly averting his eyes from the perfectly cut abs that were now visible under Thrawn's improvised crop top. He was glad he was still winded from the tussle and could use that as an excuse if Thrawn commented on his flushed face. Not that Thrawn ever did, even though Eli was certain Thrawn had see him blush perhaps dozens of times during their tenure at the Academy, and probably had an inkling as to why.

They pulled their shoes on and made their way out of the dojo, the cool night air a blessing on Eli's warm skin. He was struck by a fleeting memory of an evening on Lysatra, stars twinkling down on him and his friends as they stripped their clothes off and ran for the lake near the edge of the campground they had rented with their pooled allowances. The breath of summer air on his bare skin had become a flesh memory for some reason, and would come to him at odd times.

He chanced a sideways glance at Thrawn, striding along beside him in the faint glow of the twinkling lights of ever-bustling Coruscant. He had neglected to brush back the stray lock still dangling down onto his proud forehead, and the effect was more than a little endearing. Eli wondered if Thrawn had memories like his, silly moments spent with friends, laughing and comfortable in their own skins, and with each other.

Eli hoped Thrawn considered him a friend - after their first awkward few days of living with each other, figuring out each other's quirks and habits, Eli found him an easy companion despite his own less-than-proper thoughts regarding him. Now that they were out of the dojo, Eli found his frustration at not besting the Chiss had eased slightly. Thrawn's own air of cool, collected calm was more of an aura, seeping out and soothing those around him.

Well. Maybe not everyone around him. But Eli certainly felt that way.

He turned his eyes forward again, musing on their session. The sensible thing to do - the tactical thing to do - would be to review his memories of the spars, and seek to learn from his missteps. Unfortunately, his mind had other ideas, focusing not on the moments leading up to the take-downs, but instead focusing on their sensations. Of Thrawn maneuvering behind Eli and locking his staff across his torso, pulling him tight against his chest. Of Thrawn kicking out one of his legs and grappling him to the mat, arm loosely wrapped around his neck as Thrawn growled in his ear for him to yield. Of Thrawn's toned thighs pressing into his back, crushing him against his absolutely perfect stomach. The cheeky grin Thrawn had given him as he offered the strip of shirt fabric, cerulean skin peeking out from the ruined top.

Eli gave himself a mental shake as they rounded a corner and passed another pair of cadets, giving them a perfunctory nod as they walked by and ignoring their quizzical looks at Thrawn's odd fashion statement. If he ever wanted to actually beat Thrawn, he needed to get these thoughts under control. He would never come out on top if he never got a handle on how much he wanted to be beneath him.

That little mental battle occupied him as they entered their shared quarters, made worse by Thrawn summarily stripping off his shirt and tossing it in the waste bin as he casually flopped on his bunk. His sweats rode low on his hips as he got comfortable on the covers, and it was with no small effort that Eli directed his gaze firmly forward as he crossed to the 'fresher.

"You are preoccupied." Thrawn's voice drifted over to him as he took the medkit from the cabinet and began rifling through it. Eli froze, thinking for one panicked moment that Thrawn had somehow read his mind. That was stupid - Thrawn had firmly told him that myth was false.

Eli glanced up in the mirror, and saw Thrawn was still reclining on his bunk, arms casually resting behind his head.

"Uh, yeah, I guess." Eli turned back to the medkit and pulled out a bacta-patch, searching for a response that wouldn't leave him blushing. "Just thinking about what I could do better next time."

"You have not had as much training with a staff as I have," Thrawn replied. "But otherwise, your technique was quite sound."

Eli scoffed. _Yeah right_. "You said it was informative. What do you think of the Empire's training?"

He heard Thrawn chuckle. "I meant it was informative, regarding you."

Eli frowned a little as he ran his skinned arm under the sink. "What do you mean?" He asked, hoping Thrawn wasn't going to say he had seemed distracted.

"Do you recall what I said regarding dismissing one's emotions during a battle?"

"Yeah," Eli replied slowly, eyes flicking to the mirror again. Thrawn was still reclining, one leg now dangling off the edge of his too-small bunk as usual. "I didn't really understand the last part of what you said. About the motivation for forgetting the emotions."

There was a pause as Thrawn seemed to gather his thoughts. Eli turned back to his elbow, damp fingers fumbling with the packaging of the patch.

"If your opponent is the source of your distraction," Thrawn began, voice oddly measured. "To gain control of one's emotions regarding them is half the battle. It is one thing to simply ignore an emotion, to cast it aside. This is effective for the... _behen'ta_."

"Short term," Eli supplied, frowning at the stubborn patch.

"It is effective for the short term," Thrawn continued. "But not for the... long term," Eli smiled to himself as he heard Thrawn pause and work out the appropriate parallel phrase. "...as the emotions will always return. One must embrace and accept the emotions, and learn to work with them, rather than against them, as I have done. This is one reason I was more successful than you," Thrawn finished quietly.

Eli stared back up at the mirror. Thrawn wasn't normally a fidgety being, but Eli could just see the small bounce of his heel on the floor. Eli could barely fathom the bare facts of Thrawn's statement - how could he work _with_ the idea that he wanted Thrawn to pin him to the ground? Much less could he fathom Thrawn's hidden meaning in the words.

Eli turned back to the patch and finally got it open, letting it crackle and rustle as he pulled out the strip, hoping Thrawn would think his lack of reply was due to concentrating on his wound care.

"I believe that is also the reason you had more success in our last spar." Thrawn continued, still in the same measured tone as Eli applied the patch, the soothing medication seeping into the stinging wound. "Rather than seeking to force me away, you embraced the idea of allowing me into your reach, and used that to your advantage."

Eli felt his breath hitch a bit as he realized what Thrawn was getting at. While Thrawn wasn't completely correct in his analysis of Eli's moves, the underlying parallels still held true. But the thought of openly admitting that to Thrawn wasn't a pleasant one, so he decided to dodge the statement.

"I mean, I guess throwing you off did put me in a different head space," Eli replied, gathering up the trash from the packaging and entering the living area to throw it away. "But I think I'm still frustrated that you keep beating me." That done, he plopped down in the desk chair and swiveled to face Thrawn, trying to look relaxed as he felt his heart beating a little faster than it should be.

Thrawn rose and sat in his bunk, placing both feet on the floor and resting his elbows on his knees as he peered at Eli. "That is not the main source of your frustrations."

Eli cocked a brow at him, instinctively turning to defiance to protect his thoughts. "Yeah? And why do you say that?"

Thrawn huffed, his usual small smile rising to his lips as he gazed at Eli. The stray lock still dangled, and Eli was struck by just how casually attractive Thrawn was, broad shoulders relaxed and graceful hands dangling between his long legs. It wasn't a helpful thought, if he sought to protect the true reasoning for his distraction, but it came to him unbidden, traitorously.

Thrawn was silent another moment, seeming to chew on his words, then spoke. "I am the source of your frustrations."

"Well, yeah!" Eli quickly replied, thinking fast. "You're the one that keeps tossing me on the ground."

Thrawn shook his head slightly, small smile still playing on his lips. "You know that is not my meaning."

Eli stared back at him, ready to retort but mind drawing a blank on how to reply. What could he possibly say? But before any idea, good or bad, came to him, Thrawn continued.

"You are attracted to me," he said, sitting up and gesturing to himself with one hand. Eli fought the urge to stare at the toned chest in front of him and kept his eyes on Thrawn's as he spoke. "And you are allowing that to distract you."

He sputtered, trying to find some way to salvage this, but as Thrawn continued to gaze at him, one brow quirked so politely, so knowingly, Eli found his thoughts a useless jumble. He considered just getting up and walking out of the room, away from that knowing gaze, giving himself some room to _breathe_ , but he knew that would only delay the inevitable. To flee would be an admission in it’s own way.

"Alright, fine! Yes, I am attracted to you," Eli bit out, bringing his hands down forcefully onto the arms of the desk chair and feeling like a bright spotlight was shining on his face. "But how exactly am I supposed to 'accept' that, and 'work with it', like you said?" Even if Thrawn was right, Eli was still going to try and keep this discussion in the realm of sparring, and not his own awkward personal feelings. But as he spat out his reply, another thought hit him like a ton of bricks.

Thrawn had finished that explanation by adding ' _as I have done_ ' as a reason for consistently beating him, and suddenly the odd tone and fidgety foot made sense.

The fact that Thrawn had been short of breath after the final spar - after Eli had gone limp and rested his head on his thigh - the cheeky grin when he offered the swatch of fabric, the fact he wasn't wearing a shirt _now_ when there was a drawer full of perfectly good shirts two meters away-

"I take it you have deduced such attraction is mutual," Thrawn said, soft voice cutting into Eli's tumultuous thoughts.

Eli's breath hitched again as he refocused his gaze on Thrawn, still sitting so casually on the bunk. The Chiss was watching him with a mildly amused expression on his face, and Eli couldn't help but chuckle weakly at the situation.

"I- yeah. I guess I have." Eli ran a hand nervously through his hair. All thoughts of running from the room, from the situation were gone. There was silence at his confirmation, Thrawn still gazing at him with a bemused expression.. “What… What happens now?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is four chapters now. I didn't think I would ever have the courage to do this, but the third and fourth chapters are gonna be... smut. It's been a long, long time since I've tried my hand at the craft, and I apologize for the cliff hanger, but chapter three needs to cook a bit more before I unleash it upon the world. 
> 
> Thank you for being patient <3


	3. Choices

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am definitely taking constructive criticism! Smut is such a tricky thing to write; please don't be afraid to give feedback (typos, pacing, anything), as I honestly still consider this a wip.
> 
> And god bless TessAlyn for beta'ing this, she is an absolute angel and I love her!

Thrawn gave another huff as he leaned forward again to rest his arms on his legs, the small cot creaking as he did so. “There are two main courses of action available,” he said, pausing and cocking his head slightly. “I know which one I would prefer, but it is ultimately your decision to make.”

Eli furrowed his brow at that, but Thrawn continued. “They are fairly obvious, and lead down paths that may or may not be simple to navigate.”

“ _A warrior's path is seldom a straight one_ ,” Eli muttered under his breath.

Thrawn chuckled. “Indeed. The first path is to acknowledge, and then ignore this. Return to our daily life, our duties, and leave this discussion in the past. There are benefits to this, as well as shortcomings.”

Eli nodded, waiting for Thrawn to outline the other option. He knew what it would be but… He needed to hear it. From Thrawn.

“The second path is to act on our attraction.” Thrawn’s voice had dipped low as he spoke. Not quite what Eli would call sultry, but the gleam in the Chiss’s glowing eyes sent a thrill through him.

“Which, of course, has its own benefits and shortcomings,” Thrawn continued after a short pause, pitch returning to its usual, polite lilt. He straightened, gesturing vaguely with a hand. “I am sure you can imagine what they would be. And so, I leave the decision to you.”

Eli nodded again, pursing his lips as he thought on Thrawn’s words. The one massive, shining benefit of option two was actually sleeping with Thrawn. That was obvious. He couldn’t really be bothered to figure out what the other ones would be (Thrawn had said benefits, plural, and he knew the Chiss likely had all sorts of psychological angles to that option), but that didn’t matter to him.

But the shortcomings… scared him.

The big glaring one was getting thrown out of the Navy if they were discovered. Years of hard work, out the door in an instant. Eli had a small amount of savings, maybe enough to swing the expensive trip back to Lysatra, but the emotional cost was likely one he could never recoup. Returning to his family, head hung in shame… That would be bad.

He knew his parents were already upset at his reassignment to Coruscant, wary of “Core-World Nonsense”, as they so often put it. They attributed that slight to Thrawn, and they were right.

Thrawn, who had fallen into his life like a ton of duracrete, thrown him from his so-meticulously designed career path, who was the source of this new twist and upcoming turns. Thrawn, who had given him little choice in the matter, asking the Emperor to keep Eli by his side. Thrawn, who had attached himself to Eli without even asking if it would be fine by him to do so.

Thrawn, who was giving him a choice now.

“I… I need to think about it.” Eli finally said, finding his voice. He refocused his gaze on Thrawn, who had continued to watch him politely as he mused.

Thrawn nodded. “Of course. It is an important decision.” He gestured to the ‘fresher, reclining in his bunk as he did so. “I will shower in the morning. You may go ahead with your routine.”

Eli smiled at him. “Thanks,” he said softly, rising and going to the dresser for his sleepwear.

As Eli went through his nightly routine, finding comfort in the easy familiarity of the quick shower, teeth brushing, and hair coming, he continued to mull over his choice. _To do it, or not to do it_ … It was oddly refreshing, in a small way, for Thrawn to offer him the opportunity to decide. He had a feeling Thrawn felt bad jostling him from his carefully-laid career plans, but in the time he had spent with Thrawn, he didn’t think the Chiss was a selfish being. Yes, he had his own, secretive plans regarding Eli. That thought scared him, a bit, but… Eli trusted him. And the fact Thrawn left this decision, one that would very much affect Thrawn, up to him, showed that Thrawn trusted him in return. That he was aware of Eli’s agency, and respected him.

And if Thrawn was worried about getting caught… He didn’t _seem_ concerned. Thrawn was a confident being, sure of himself and sure of the consequences of his actions. If Thrawn thought this was a bad idea, he wouldn’t have suggested it…

And with that, Eli knew what he would do.

“I’ve made a decision,” Eli said as he re-entered the living space. Thrawn glanced up from his datapad at him as Eli stood by his bunk, a bit awkwardly, and waited for him to speak. It looked as though he hadn’t moved since Eli went into the ‘fresher, still lounging on top of his sheets, still shirtless, sweats still riding dangerously low across his trim waist. But the lights had been keyed down to their sleeping levels, and a quick glance at their door showed that the deadbolt had been engaged.

For a moment, Eli almost lost his nerve. This had to be some sort of bizarre dream - how had they even come to this? From Thrawn infiltrating their camp, hair wild and dressed in furs, to gazing up at Eli now, brow casually quirked, shirtless and lounging like some pin up model?

But then Thrawn sat up, slowly and gracefully, carefully closing down his datapad and setting it on the nightstand, steady gaze never leaving Eli’s as he held out one hand questioningly, invitingly.

And as Eli took it and Thrawn pulled him forward, he knew it wasn’t a dream.

Kissing Thrawn wasn’t like he had imagined, or expected. As he pulled Eli closer, parting his knees so Eli could stand between them, he was surprised at the gentle tenderness he was met with. Chaste at first, as though he was scared Eli might change his mind and pull away. But as Eli raised his arms and gently wrapped one hand in Thrawn’s short hair, the other grasping his shoulder for balance, the chasteness slipped away and was replaced by tentative hunger.

Thrawn wrapped an arm around his waist, the other snaking up Eli’s back, seeking to pull him down to the bunk. Eli allowed it, grinning into the kiss as they sank down into the sheets. Thrawn took that parting of his lips as an invitation, and deepened the kiss, teeth accidentally knocking as Thrawn grinned back.

“Sorry,” Eli muttered, but Thrawn paid the clumsiness no heed and continued to pull Eli closer, strong arms wrapping around him and a hand tangling in his hair as he pressed them together. His long fingers caught in Eli’s still-damp hair, pulling and tugging the strands, and Eli gasped at the sensation.

Thrawn chuckled, the low rumble almost a growl around their locked lips, and suddenly he was in motion, easily flipping Eli onto his back in the small bunk. Eli let out a small sound of protest as Thrawn broke the kiss, leaning back and hovering over him slightly.

“May I?” Thrawn asked, hands that had gripped Eli’s waist to maneuver him, now tugging gently at the hem of his t-shirt, glowing eyes glinting mischievously in the dark room as he gazed down at him.

“Stars, please,” Eli replied, marveling for a moment at how much he dwarfed Thrawn. His sculpted chest nearly filled his view as he leaned forward slightly to allow Thrawn to remove his shirt, tossing it aside with a flourish and once again descending upon him. Eli turned his head, expecting Thrawn to kiss him, but his slightly parted lips opened in a soft gasp as Thrawn instead went for his jaw, deftly kissing down his neck.

“Should I do anything you do not find enjoyable,” Thrawn murmured between kisses and bites, seeming to revel in the small sounds he pulled from Eli as one hand explored his now-bare chest, “Please let me know.”

Eli couldn’t find the breath to respond, instead gasping again as Thrawn curled his fingers in his hair and canted his head back, exposing more of his neck to Thrawn’s persistent mouth. He curled his own fingers in Thrawn’s hair to pull him closer as he gripped his waist with his other hand, then, tentatively, lowered it to the waistband of Thrawn’s sweats. He slipped his fingers under the band, running the tips of them along Thrawn’s cool skin almost reverently before dipping lower, questioningly fingering the band of his underwear.

“May I?” Eli muttered, a small smile on his lips as he echoed Thrawn’s earlier request. Thrawn responded by grinding his hips against Eli, earnestly pressing (what Eli presumed to be) his stiff cock against his thigh.

The thought that Thrawn was hard for _him_ sent a thrill through Eli, and he plunged his hand beneath the waistband of Thrawn’s underwear, grabbing his perfect ass and pulling him closer. Thrawn _growled_ at that, sinking his teeth into the crook of Eli’s neck, the pinpricks of pain sending goosebumps along his skin.

Eli gave a choked cry at the sensation, arching his back, and Thrawn pulled away to gaze down at him, concern in his eyes.

“Apologies,” he muttered, eyes boring into Eli’s as his hips found a slow rhythm, grinding persistently through the layers of workout and sleep wear. “Perhaps I was… Overzealous.”

“Do it again,” Eli whispered, closing his eyes and throwing his head back into the pillow, raising his own hips to meet Thrawn’s firm stomach, silently pleading with Thrawn to understand just how hard his ministrations were making him.

He heard Thrawn hum approvingly as he attacked the other side of Eli’s neck, alternately lathing his tongue across his burning skin then sinking his teeth into him, never biting hard enough to draw blood, but fiercely enough that Eli knew he would be decorated with marks and bruises come morning. The thought of waking up to such marks, trophies of a night spent tangled together with Thrawn, drove Eli wild. He raked his nails down Thrawn’s back, drawing a shudder from the usually stoic Chiss, and grabbed Thrawn’s hip, guiding him into a faster rhythm as he pulled them closer together, desperate, needy.

Eli was so hard it almost  _hurt_ , and he wanted more, but Thrawn showed no signs of easing his fervent work on his neck and collarbones, sometimes stopping to hungrily kiss his lips, then returning to his tender flesh, never passing over the same spot twice. One hand remained tangled in Eli’s hair, pulling his head this way and that, and the other had sunk down to grab Eli’s own hip to help leverage him closer, the friction of their grinding so tantalizing, so good, but not enough.

“Please,” Eli murmured, breath stuttering and catching in his throat. “Please.”

“Please what?” Thrawn growled softly in his ear, finishing his question with a tender nip on his lobe.

“Touch- ah!” He was interrupted by Thrawn gripping his hip and breaking their rhythm, forcing Eli’s cock harder against his stomach. “Stars, please, touch me.”

“Am I not already doing so?” He heard Thrawn murmur coyly, and Eli opened his eyes to plead with Thrawn, but the Chiss had already shifted, acquiescing to Eli’s request and laying on his side. Their gaze remained locked as Thrawn hooked two fingers in Eli’s waistband near his hip, brow quirked in an unspoken request of permission. Eli grabbed the other side, raising his pelvis and clumsily dragging the fabric down his thighs with Thrawn’s help, his aching cock finally free.

Eli felt all coherent thought leave his mind as Thrawn gently grabbed him, running his hand up and down Eli’s shaft, twisting and pulling in all the right ways.

He moaned as Thrawn tended to him, the sound becoming muffled as Thrawn caught his lips in his own again, kissing him harder than he had before. He felt drunk at Thrawn’s touch, unable to focus on anything other than the building pressure in his core.

For a fleeting moment, Eli felt guilty at how quickly Thrawn brought him to the edge - it hadn’t been _that_ long since he’d been with someone - but then he was there, his orgasm crashing over him like a ship landed by a drunkard. He gasped, eyes rolling as he clenched them shut, back arching against Thrawn’s chest as Thrawn expertly stroked him through it.

The moment seeming to stretch on indefinitely as Thrawn held him close, ignoring Eli’s bruising grasp as he writhed beneath him, then finally went limp on the sheets.

He continued to hold him as Eli curled up against him, ignoring the mess on their stomachs as Eli reflexively wrapping himself around the larger man, ears ringing as residual shudders ran through his body. After a few moments, Eli finally found breath to speak.

“Holy shit,” he swore into Thrawn’s chest, words muffled, the occasional tremor still running through his limbs.

He heard Thrawn chuckle, the warm sound rumbling in his chest, and turned his head to look up at the Chiss. Thrawn’s eyes were twinkling as he stared down at him, kiss-bruised lips quirked in a small smile.

“I have never been with a human before,” Thrawn said, idly twirling his fingers in Eli’s hair. “But it appears our anatomy is quite similar.”

“Oh yeah?” Eli said, giving Thrawn a small smile of his own. He gently untangled himself from Thrawn, scooting down between the Chiss’s knees as Thrawn reclined, smile growing mischievously. He ran one hand along Thrawn’s thigh as the other gently palmed his cock through his sweats, Thrawn drawing a harsh breath and canting his head back at the touch. “I guess I’d better see for myself, then.”


	4. Soft.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eli returns the favor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi it's been 4 months I'm sorry but hey I finally finished it yay! Treason gave me warm fuzzies for these two all over again, so have some warm fuzzy smut. 
> 
> I find that I still feel that smut isn't my strong suit, so please feel free to message/comment with suggestions! Pacing, typos, wording, anything. Practice makes perfect, and lord knows I'm gonna keep writing all sorts of stuff for these two. I'm jewelliffer on tumblr if you wanna scream about these two adorable imperials over there :)

Eli had heard dozens of stories about the Chiss. Tales of conquest, of war, of their confidence and wiles and strength. 

But the stories never mentioned how _beautiful_  they were. 

Thrawn broke their eye contact as Eli palmed him through his sweats, sighing as he closed his eyes and reclined deeper into the pillow. Eli drank in the sight of the Chiss before him - the muted shadows playing off Thrawn's chest in the dim light, the cant of his strong jaw, still so regal despite the salacious circumstances, the gentle curve of his bicep as he brought an arm to rest above his head. Eli followed the stuttering rise and fall of that toned chest as he ran his hand up and down along Thrawn's length, still toying with him through the thin fabric of his sweats. For a brief, fleeting moment, Eli wished he could take a holo, wished he was an artist, so he could paint the beautiful Chiss laid out before him. To capture the image of perfection and present it as a gift to Thrawn, as thanks for simply _existing_. For allowing Eli to see him like this. 

"Eli," Thrawn muttered, voice so low it was almost inaudible, but Eli caught the longing his tone. "Please."

Eli grinned, dreams of being an artist disappearing as Thrawn's quiet request brought him back to the moment. "Yes," he murmured. Not a question, but an affirmation. A promise. 

He ran his hands up Thrawn's bare hips, his stomach, his chest, touching all he could reach and mapping the planes presented to him. Thrawn was cool under his hands, and a wonderful mixture of firmness and softness, strong muscles relaxed under Eli's wandering palms. The bruises from last weeks attack had all but faded, the Chiss apparently healing quicker than a human, and Eli took heart at that fact. The freedom from knowing he could touch wherever he wanted without fear of hurting Thrawn was intoxicating, and Eli took advantage of that. 

Thrawn drew a sharper breath as Eli's fingers ghosted over one nipple and, tentatively, Eli did it again, head cocked to the side as he peered more closely at Thrawn's face. He felt a thrill run through him as Thrawn bit his lower lip, sucking in another sharp breath and pressing his chest further into Eli's questioning touch. Grinning, he brought his hand to Thrawn's other nipple and this time trailed a nail over it, and was rewarded with a gasp. 

_Study your opponent, and learn their weaknesses,_  Thrawn had told him in one of their tactics lessons. The thought came to Eli now, and Eli almost chuckled as he leaned over Thrawn, one hand still teasing the now-firm nub as he brought his mouth to the other, peppering it with reverent kisses and gentle bites. Thrawn was hardly an opponent, not now, but this was certainly a _weakness_  of his, Eli thought. He shivered at the goosebumps running down his spine as Thrawn entwined his fingers in Eli's hair, hissing and sighing at Eli's touch. Eli pressed his hips against Thrawn's, resuming the slow grinding that had started their night, and Eli couldn't help but gasp as Thrawn grabbed his hip and pulled him closer, his hard cock pressing against him. 

" _Please,_ " Thrawn whispered after a what felt like both a minute and a lifetime, hips stuttering against Eli's. He had slowly become unraveled under Eli's mouth and fingers, breathing harder and now rutting against Eli almost desperately. Eli could feel the cool pre-come stain through Thrawn's sweats against his own bare hips, and he relented, leaning back on his knees as he repositioned himself between Thrawn's thighs.

"Thank you," Thrawn said as Eli grasped the waistband of his sweats and underwear and carefully tugged them down, Thrawn's words becoming a moan as his cock sprang free. Eli awkwardly shifted over Thrawn, maneuvering his clothing down and off him completely and tossing it aside. It wasn't exactly sexy, and Eli nearly toppled over as he balanced on one knee to complete the action, but it was worth it. As he resettled between Thrawn's legs, Eli felt his breath catch in his chest as he gazed down at Thrawn, now naked before him. 

Eli had planned to take his time, worshipping Thrawn's lower body as he had his upper. But ideas of slowing trailing kisses along the Chiss's stomach, of running his hands along strong thighs, of mapping the sharp curves of Thrawn's hips, all went out the window as he took in the sight of Thrawn before him. His cock rested heavily on his stomach, a flushed purple against the cool blue, and his chest heaved with quickened breaths, anticipation burning in the faint glow of his striking red eyes. 

Eli leaned forward hungrily, grasping Thrawn's hips for balance as he ran his tongue up the underside of Thrawn's cock. A shiver ran up his back as Thrawn moaned, hips bucking, and Eli grinned as that moan became as _gasp_  when Eli took him in his mouth. It may have been a while, but Eli knew he was _good_  at this. 

Thrawn's fingers again found his hair, curling against his scalp as Eli set to work on his cock. Thrawn was correct in his assertion that their anatomy was similar, if the sounds he was making were anything to go by - breath hitching here, a sigh turned moan there, gasps as Eli swirled his tongue around his sensitive head or bobbed low to take him to the hilt. Eli closed his eyes and let Thrawn dictate the pace, enjoying the gentle tugs in his hair as Thrawn guided him up and down on his cock. Eli didn't know if Thrawn simply liked to have control of any situation he found himself in, or if he was guiding Eli because he had learned Eli _liked_  that, but he didn't care. Each tug on his scalp, each rough canting of hips, sent a thrill through him. He could taste Thrawn's pre-come on his tongue, somehow sweeter than a humans and he allowed himself to become sloppy around Thrawn's cock, eager to draw louder and louder moans from the Chiss. 

Eli let out a muffled moan of his own as Thrawn tentatively held his head down slightly longer than before, swallowing around the mouthful of cock against the back of his throat, and Eli heard Thrawn mutter something in a language Eli didn't understand before pulling him back up. 

"Is that... alright?" Thrawn asked, the concerned words almost slurred as he met Eli's grinning, wild-eyed gaze, fingers still tangled in his hair. 

Eli didn't bother with a spoken response, merely grinning even wider as he licked his lips and leaned back down, doing it again as Thrawn swore softly. If he had found exploring Thrawn's chest earlier intoxicating, he was now completely drunk with lust. Thrawn drove him wild - his scent in his nostrils, his taste on his tongue, his hands in his hair, and he wanted to make sure Thrawn _knew_  that. That with every swirl of his tongue, that every moan pulled from his throat, that it was _Thrawn_  driving him wild; how could Eli have _ever_ doubted this was a good idea, why did he _wait_  so long to do this--

"Eli!" Thrawn cried out, his voice rough, his hips stuttering as he came in Eli's mouth. A fresh wave of goosebumps coursed over Eli as Thrawn grasped him tightly, the too-small bed creaking as Thrawn curled forward and held him in place as Eli swallowed him down, relishing the taste on the back of his tongue.  

After a moment, Eli felt Thrawn relax beneath him and he gently removed his mouth, grinning yet again as Thrawn slumped back onto the bed.

Thrawn didn't move as Eli carefully clambered over him, head thrown back and chest still heaving from his orgasm.

"Good?" Eli asked mildly, settling beside Thrawn and gazing down at him. 

Thrawn wordlessly turned his glowing eyes to Eli, a small smile playing on his lips. It was different than what Eli thought of as his usual 'signature smile', he realized. This one was... softer. More open. It reached his eyes in a way his usual one didn't. 

"Good," Thrawn echoed after a moment, his smile widening and eyes twinkling.

"Good." Eli said with another grin as he settled down in the crook of Thrawn's shoulder. He was surprised when Thrawn rolled to face him, draping a long leg over Eli's hips and tucking him closer to his chest, chin resting on his head. They didn't speak as they laid there, haphazardly entwined in the too-small bunk, and Eli felt himself drift off to sleep, his smile never leaving his face. 

 

\---

 

Eli was woken by gentle kisses trailed along his neck.

"It is time to rise, Eli," Thrawn murmured when he saw Eli open his eyes.

Eli mumbled incoherently, turning and curling up closer to Thrawn. At some point in the night, Thrawn had pulled the sheets over them, but he was still naked, and chilly by his usual standards. 

Thrawn _tsked_ under his breath, but pulled Eli closer. "We will not have time for our workout if we do not get out of bed soon," he chided.

"Don't wanna," Eli mumbled sleepily into Thrawn's chest. "You're warm. An' soft."

Thrawn chuckled. "What do you mean, 'soft'?"

Eli pulled his head back to give Thrawn a wry smile. "Y'know what I mean."

Thrawn smiled, dipping his head to kiss Eli before relaxing back against the pillow, still cradling the sleepy man curled against him. "You are soft, as well," Thrawn murmured quietly into his hair. Eli hummed contentedly, and the two drifted back to sleep.

The last thought on Eli's mind before dreams claimed him was that he didn't mind being soft at all.


End file.
